CONDUCTORES AÉREOS

international drug control treaties

1. Action taken by the Board pursuant

to article 14 of the 1961 Convention and

article 19 of the 1971 Convention

201. Article 14 of the 1961 Convention (and of that Convention as amended by the 1972 Protocol) and arti- cle 19 of the 1971 Convention set out measures that the Board may take to ensure the execution of the provisions of those conventions. Such measures, which consist of increasingly severe steps, are considered by the Board when it has reason to believe that the aims of the con- ventions are being seriously endangered by the failure of a State to comply with the treaty obligations contained therein.

202. The Board has invoked article 14 of the 1961 Convention and/or article 19 of the 1971 Convention with respect to a limited number of States. The Board’s objective in doing so has been to encourage compliance with those conventions when other means have failed. The names of the States concerned are not publicly

disclosed until the Board has decided to bring the situa- tion to the attention of the parties, the Economic and Social Council and the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (as was done in the case of Afghanistan). Following sus- tained dialogue with the Board according to the process set out in the above-mentioned articles, most of the States concerned have taken remedial measures, resulting in a decision by the Board to discontinue action taken under those articles vis-à-vis those States.

203. Afghanistan is currently the only State for which action is being taken pursuant to article 14 of the 1961 Convention as amended by the 1972 Protocol.

2. Consultation with the Government

of Afghanistan pursuant to article 14 of

the 1961 Convention

204. Consultations between the Board and the Govern- ment of Afghanistan pursuant to article 14 of the 1961 Convention continued in 2014. On 16 January 2014, the Secretary of the Board met with Mobarez Rashidi, the newly appointed Minister of Counter Narcotics of Afghanistan, who outlined his immediate priorities in addressing drug-related threats in the country. Those pri-

orities included: (a) expanding partnerships in dealing

with drug-related challenges; (b) closer engagement with

neighbouring countries, especially in the area of control

of precursor chemicals; and (c) strengthening efforts by

Afghanistan in addressing drug abuse and addiction problems in the country through effective provision of the necessary shelters and referral to treatment centres in Afghanistan.

205. The Minister also committed himself to continu- ing close cooperation with the Board and to inform the Board, at the earliest opportunity, about progress made with respect to matters falling under article 14 of the 1961 Convention. The Secretary of the Board noted the open and constructive dialogue between the Government of Afghanistan and the Board over the past several years and reiterated the need for tangible progress under arti- cle 14 of the 1961 Convention and, in particular, in addressing issues of concern, such as the alarming levels of illicit opium poppy cultivation, drug trafficking and drug abuse in Afghanistan.

206. In March 2014, on the margins of the fifty-seventh session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, held in Vienna, the President of the Board met with the delega- tion of Afghanistan, which was headed by the Minister of Counter Narcotics. The Minister provided information

on measures taken by the Government of Afghanistan to address the drug control situation in the country, includ- ing with respect to the development of alternative liveli- hood programmes, the countering of opium poppy and cannabis plant cultivation, the strengthening of enforce- ment measures to address the trafficking of precursors and the establishment of mechanisms to address drug abuse in the country.

207. Consultations between the Secretariat of the Board and the Permanent Mission of Afghanistan to the United Nations (Vienna) were held on a number of occasions during the year to follow up on the Government’s imple- mentation of the international drug control treaties. The consultations also focused on the planning and organi- zation of a high-level mission of the Board to Afghanistan, scheduled to take place following the conclusion of the electoral process in Afghanistan.

Cooperation with the Board

208. The Government has continued its effective coop- eration with the Board in recent years. In February 2014, the Government submitted its 2013 report to the Board reflecting the Government’s efforts with regard to the implementation of the international drug control treaties.

209. The Government of Afghanistan informed the Board that the law on accession to the 1972 Protocol amending the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 had been adopted by both houses of parliament, approved by the judicial power of Afghanistan and signed by the President of Afghanistan. Afghanistan has not made any declarations or reservations with regard to this instrument. At the time of writing, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs was in the process of finalizing the sub- mission of the instrument of accession.

210. The Government’s treaty-based reporting has sub- stantially improved since 2009, with statistical data on narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursors submitted to the Board regularly, as required under the international drug control treaties.

211. There is a lack of prioritization within the govern- ment policy to address cultivation of cannabis plant in the country, evidenced by a lack of budgetary allocation to counter such cultivation. The Board urges the Government of Afghanistan to step up its efforts to pre- vent and interdict cannabis plant cultivation and canna- bis production in the country, including through seeking the support of the international community in this area.

Cooperation by the international community

212. Afghanistan continued to actively engage in regional and international cooperation to address drug- related threats affecting the country.

213. On 27 March 2014, the Presidents of Afghanistan, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Pakistan and Tajikistan held a summit. In a joint statement, they reiterated the impor- tance of constructive regional cooperation, including through their support for ongoing Afghan-led regional efforts within the framework of the Istanbul Process on Regional Security and Cooperation for a Secure and Stable Afghanistan, which among other things is dedi- cated to the prevention and elimination of illicit drug cul- tivation, production, trade and trafficking.

214. The third meeting of the steering committee of the regional programme for Afghanistan and countries in the region was held in Vienna on the margins of the fifty- seventh session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, in March 2014. The meeting was attended by the eight countries concerned (Afghanistan, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan) and by donors. The pro- gress made during 2013 in the four subprogrammes (regional cooperation in law enforcement, criminal jus- tice, demand reduction and research advocacy) was noted. At the same time, ministerial review meetings for the Tripartite Initiative, involving Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, and the Triangular Initiative, involving Afghanistan, Iran (Islamic Republic of) and Pakistan, were also held to further strengthen on-the-ground col- laboration throughout the region. The meeting on the Triangular Initiative concluded with the signing of a joint ministerial statement focused on enhancing cooperation in the areas of drug control and border management. On 29 May 2014, the fourth Tripartite Initiative meeting of senior officials was held in Dushanbe, and a ministerial meeting was held on the following day. A declaration on counter-narcotics cooperation, emphasizing the need for better cooperation between law enforcement and judicial bodies, was adopted following discussions.

215. The Kandahar Food Zone programme, funded by the United States Agency for International Development, was launched and will be implemented for the next two years in seven districts of Kandahar Province. The Government, however, faces difficulties in the implemen- tation of alternative livelihood programmes in those provinces where opium poppy is currently grown, due to lack of sufficient funding, poverty and low agricultural production. The Government informed the Board that illicit poppy cultivation “migrates” from areas that have

received governmental support to those where the Government has no or little control. According to the Government, in the past alternative livelihood projects have not been very effective, because many of them were implemented in more accessible areas while the major cultivation took place in the remote districts. Therefore, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Government and the donor community to revise the projects so as to address those shortcomings. Nevertheless, according to the Government, the current level of fund- ing and the number of projects were not sufficient to sus- tain alternative livelihood initiatives.

Conclusions

216. Afghanistan continues to face several major chal- lenges, which in the period under review have included presidential elections and their aftermath, the transition of security functions from international military assis- tance to the national army and police, the ongoing national reconciliation process and increasing drug trafficking and abuse in the country. Despite these chal- lenges, the Government expressed its commitment to address the illicit cultivation of opium poppy and canna- bis plant in the country, drug trafficking and drug abuse through eradication campaigns, law enforcement measures, alternative livelihood initiatives and drug demand reduction efforts. The Government has taken steps to ratify the 1972 Protocol amending the Single Convention. The Government has been fully cooperative with the Board, including through its readiness to facilitate a high-level mission of the Board to Afghanistan and its submission of a progress report on the drug- related situation in the country.

217. The Board, while noting the commitment expressed by the Government, remains concerned about the deteriorating drug control situation in Afghanistan, which constitutes a significant challenge in the country and for drug control in the region as a whole. The Board recommends that the Government of Afghanistan con- tinue strengthening its counter-narcotics capacity in line with the international drug control treaties. The Board also encourages the Government to continue seeking international assistance in addressing the drug problem and to strengthen its cooperation at the regional and international levels in addressing drug trafficking and abuse. The Board will continue to closely monitor the drug control situation in Afghanistan in cooperation with the authorities, as well as measures taken and pro- gress made by the Government of Afghanistan in all areas of drug control.